Wanting the Next Step
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day 1256: After the kiss ultimatum in the car with Quinn, Rachel is left to consider just how far she wants to take this between the two of them. - Runaway Bride series


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 59th cycle. Now cycle 60!_

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**"Wanting the Next Step"  
Rachel/Quinn  
Runaway Bride series  
_(no listing yet; sequel to 'And Out of the Blue')_  
**

Their second movie night was still waiting to happen. Rachel had extended the invitation, right there after the first night, but they'd been forced to postpone it when Quinn had been saddled with some visiting family members. Since then, they hadn't come around to rescheduling. Between school and Glee Club and actually being aware that they both wanted to keep this a secret, the opportunity had not come. And now Rachel knew, with what had happened in her car that day, whenever they did get together again, the course of the evening would be rewritten.

They had kissed in that car, kissed, made out really. She'd never felt anything like it, never so much drive and desire. Even now, whenever she saw Quinn around school, she'd remember it, remember how the blonde had been pressed to her as they kissed, how she'd protected her head so she wouldn't get hurt… She'd have to turn her eyes away before her cheeks went red and gave her away. If this should ever happen when Quinn was close enough, Rachel swore she could hear her chuckle to herself.

She'd let her gut take the lead before, and for what it had gotten her, maybe she should listen to it more often. She couldn't deny she'd enjoyed that moment, with her, in the car. It had all been shock and frenzy in the beginning, she was being kissed, like Quinn meant to steal every last bit of her breath. She was drifting dizzily into the fire, and then… a rush of air had refilled her lungs and with it her thoughts as well. In that instant something had snapped, and she wasn't just being kissed anymore, she was kissing back. She could steal a breath, too… she wouldn't stop until she had.

If they hadn't been halfway between sitting and lying down, she doubted her legs could have continued to support her. They felt like jelly. She paid no mind to them. She'd felt Quinn's hand cradling her head, so protective. She saw her eyes, hovering overhead, and her heart gave a flutter.

She'd known Quinn's words to be true, back in the diner, from the moment she'd said them, but looking into her eyes, she could see it so clear. Quinn loved her, or she liked her very, very much, and seeing that, it had filled her heart with serene happiness like she'd never felt. She'd needed to show this to her, to let her know… She'd placed her hand at her cheek, and Quinn had known.

When she'd gotten back home, sat at her desk and picked up a pen to work on her paper, she'd managed to write all of five words before her pen stilled, halfway into tracing out the sixth word: truth.

She'd never considered the possibility that she could have feelings for a girl, never, not until Quinn. Was it just for her that she felt, or… Not that she intended to find out… There were things about this that scared her, the things people might say or do if they knew, maybe. But her feelings for Quinn felt truer every day she woke with the girl as her first thought and went to sleep with her as her last.

She wanted to do this right, to do right by her. If they weren't careful, they could trip themselves, and then it could end before it ever started.

The next time she'd seen her at school, standing at her locker, she went up to her. "Hey," she smiled, pressing her shoulder to the door of the neighboring locker.

"Morning," Quinn bowed her head, smiling into her locker.

"You've got history later today, right?" Rachel asked, picking the book out of there and leafing through it. "I still need to read a couple of chapters," she shook her head.

"You, behind on reading?" Quinn imitated her.

"Okay, fine, reread," she closed the book and put it back in her locker. "See you in Glee Club?"

"That's it?" Quinn looked surprised.

"See you in Glee Club," she repeated, trailing off. She could still feel Quinn's eyes on her as she reached the corner. She looked back over her shoulder and gave a smile.

She could imagine the scene, when Quinn would sit down to her desk in history class, open her book, and after leafing about for a while, she would feel the envelope inside. 'What's this?' she would think. She would look around, then she'd open it, pulling out a lined index card, where she would hopefully recognize her handwriting. Then she would read it.

_You owe me one movie night. How does Friday night sound? Your place or mine?_

She didn't sign her name, didn't need to. She would know by the time they arrived in Glee Club. She didn't imagine she'd say no, and she could have asked her outright and gotten her answer right there. But she wanted to make it special, playful. They were starting something, so what better way than a proper invitation?

She arrived in the choir room and found Quinn already there, chatting with Mercedes at her side. She'd spotted Rachel, but she kept talking to Mercedes. As she did this, she covertly tapped the chair right in front of her: she wanted Rachel to sit there. She did, resting her bag at her side. Just as Mr. Schuester had come about, Quinn leaned in at her ear.

"Hey, Rachel, do you mind if I go ahead of you with my song?" she asked.

"Uh… sure," she turned and caught her eye. Quinn turned her eyes down: look in your bag. She'd gone up to perform her answer to the homework assignment and, as she did, Rachel dug her hand into her bag. Her fingers found the envelope, and she pulled it into her lap, carefully removing the card while everyone was busy watching Quinn's performance, and she read.

_Drive me home Friday?_

THE END

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******A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.  
****In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are  
************always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!**


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